Emmerdale has been named best soap at a TV awards event crowning a haul of prizes, which also included best storyline, outstanding achievement and best bad boy.

The long-running ITV show collected the prizes at the Inside Soap Awards, fighting off stiff competition from EastEnders and Coronation Street, the usual contenders for the main prize.

Emmerdale landed the best soap title at the annual event for the first time.

Further swelling the silverware cabinet, the show's best storyline trophy was for Cameron Murray's killer cover-up and the outstanding achievement award was in recognition of the 40th anniversary live episode.

Dominic Power - who plays killer Cameron Murray, whose reign of terror in the village culminated in a siege at The Woolpack - took the bad boy trophy, ro unding off the Yorkshire Dales show's batch of four prizes.

Dominic Power said of Emmerdale's success: "It's great, it's fantastic, it's the best kind of award you can get because people vote with their feet and it's great to get that kind of recognition from the viewers."

Talking about his recent exit storyline which saw his character stage a siege at The Woolpack, he said: "The response to the siege was great, I'm leaving on such a high. It's been so amazing to be a part of the show when it's at its most successful. To be picking up these awards tonight, it's just fantastic.

"Knowing that this was my last time filming with all my friends and buddies, how lovely is it to do it for this. The whole thing was just a brilliant experience, it's a great way to leave."

Co-star Charley Webb, who plays Debbie Dingle, said: "We're really excited, we're so thrilled, I can't say how thrilled we are to be voted best soap for the first time."

Corrie and EastEnders also picked up four awards each, with Home And Away managing two wins, and Hollyoaks and Waterloo Road landing one apiece.

Corrie's Michelle Keegan - who plays Tina McIntyre - collected the award for soap's sexiest female for a fifth year running, while Danny Mac took the equivalent male prize for playing Mark 'Dodger' Savage in Hollyoaks.

The prestigious best actor award went to David Neilson for his long-standing role as the Street's Roy Cropper who is currently involved in a right-to-die storyline with terminally ill wife Hayley (Julie Hesmondhalgh), while best actress went to Jacqueline Jossa for her troubled, boozy teen character Lauren Branning in EastEnders.

Strictly Come Dancing's current queen of the dancefloor Natalie Gumede waltzed off with the best bitch award for her portrayal of domestic abuser Kirsty Soames in Coronation Street, which she exited earlier this year.

The event, staged at London's Ministry Of Sound nightclub, saw the funniest male trophy go to Simon Gregson as Street stalwart Steve McDonald, while EastEnders' Tameka Empson was declared funniest female for her role as Kim Fox.

EastEnders also picked up two awards for its younger cast, with Khali Best named best newcomer as Dexter Hartman and Maisie Smith winning best young actor as Tiffany Butcher.

EastEnders' Khali Best said of his best newcomer award: "It's really exciting, it's nice to be appreciated."

Khali's co-star Jacqueline Jossa, who picked up the best actress award, said modestly: "I don't think I deserve it. I can think of so many other people who are so much more deserving."

Also playing down his sexiest male win was Hollyoaks star Danny Mac: "You never expect this one. You can't take too much from it otherwise everyone will think you're big headed."

Home And Away won Best Daytime Soap and Best Daytime Star for Steve Peacocke as Darryl 'Brax' Braxton, while Waterloo Road was crowned best drama.

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